Sources

Other Websites

Stories

Aviation & Radio Pioneer

My father Sergeant Omer Ferguson Divers Sr. US Army WW 1 As a young man he built wireless stations, rode motorcyles, flew airplanes before he joined the service. He enlisted 10 Apr 1918 in San Diego, CA transferred to Love Field near Dallas, Texas to the aircraft mechanics school. He later became one of the first flying Radio Sergeants in the Army Signal Corps (later AAF). He was on the ship to go to Europe when he many others came down with influenza during the deadly Great Flue Epidemic. He recovered just as the war ended. Received Honorable Discharged 17 Mar 1919. Buried at Prescott National Cemetery, AZ. Sect. 2 Row J Site

First Wireless Station

Though Omer Divers is calculated to enjoy life with the vigor characteristic of any young man of his age he is not inclined to spend the major portion of his time making inter social pleasures, immense satisfaction perfecting numerous original ideas, among other things that are interesting and in-gauging his attention is the installation wireless 2 KW station at the residence of Senator and Mrs. R. W. Tucker Seventh and G streets.

Mr. Divers and Arthur French are busy perfecting the station and making all the apparatus which will be good for 300 miles when ready to operate. With this station, which will be complete in every respect. The boys when perfected, there will be Colorado Springs and other places where other stations are located within 300 miles of Salida. As the apparatus and installation is expensive, it will take them sometime to complete it, but when perfected there will be no doubt to its working facilities, as there is one such station in Denver, which was constructed last year by Mr. Divers and which he sold to a friend who makes perfect communication with Colorado Springs and other points around the state.

Eddie Richenbacker's Indy 500 Car

A successful driver, he earned the nickname "Fast Eddie" and participated in the 1912, 1914, 1915, and 1916 Indianapolis 500s. His best and only finish was placing 10th in 1914, with his car breaking down in the other years. Among his achievements was setting a race speed record of 134 mph while driving a Blitzen Benz. In addition to fame, racing proved extremely lucrative for Rickenbacker as he earned over $40,000 a year as a driver. During his time as a driver his interest in aviation increased as a result of various encounters with pilots.

Lockheed Vega Plant

Family Photo

Omer's father and mother John Wesley Divers and Lillie Maud Davis were school sweethearts in Sedalia, Missouri. He was a conductor on the DG&R and was killed in a tragic train accident at Gunnison, Colorado. his wife Lillie remarried another conductor Raph Wiliams Tucker (1878-1966 )who later became a Colorado Senator. John buried at his home town at Crown Hill Cemetery located in the old addition at Lot No. 1, Block 43, Grave No. 6.

HIGH SCHOOL

IRA J BELL & CO.

This photo of main street was taken by my father Omer Ferguson Divers Sr. is now on the Reeves Co. website. It's ironic that he and his mother Lillie Maud (Davis) Tucker were selling oil shares for promoter Ira J Bell and his future wife Miss Alice Vivian Grissom was living there. Right next door is the 'Mint Cafe' where Uncle Bob Lewis had coffee. There is a short story about him and his daughter Gladys and son-in-law Bob Penn in the book "Pecos, A History of the Pioneer West" Vol 1 & 2 by Alton Hughes. On First St. the "West of the Pecos Museum" has a jail picture of a stable boy who stole Bob Lewis guns and horse. He was the last horse thief hung in Texas. My grandfather Robert (Bob) Franklin Grissom came from East Texas to farm in the rich Pecos Valley. He bought 320 acres and built a two story house for his family about 26 miles North of Pecos on US #285 near the old ghost town of Dixieland which became a boom town with the discovery of oil. I have letters of R. F. and Electra Grissom postmarked 1905 Dixieland. He sold the farm and moved to Pecos so the children could attend school but his wife soon died in 1911. Later he married Marion Snow Hudson and they grew some of the finest Pecos cantaloupes on the 68 acre farm located at Range Road #1216 about 11 miles North of Pecos. What stands out in my boyhood memory were the sweetest melons. I think he sold his interestin in a successful company to his partner M. L. Todd because he saw his life ending. He was 69 when they found him slumped over the wheel of his tractor. In front of the 'West of the Pecos Museum' there is a Historic Marker #5397 Title: 'The Pecos Cantaloupe'. The name R. F. Grissom one of the first pioneers of the industry is missing from the story. 1919-1920